February 13, 2018

Cyclone Gita Humanitarian Situation Report #1, February 2018

Tonga: On Monday night, 12 February (local time), the eye of Gita passed just south of the low-lying Tongatapu islands group in southern Tonga where the country's most populous island, Tongatapu Island, and the capital city Nukuʻalofa are located.

This is the strongest recorded storm to have struck the island nation in its history. There are reports of one fatality with some people reportedly sustaining injuries. Emergency authorities estimate approximately 70 per cent of the population has been impacted.

The National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) is coordinating the response and initial damage assessments are ongoing. 41 evacuation centres were established with 3,035 evacuees. Electricity is reportedly down leaving people without power. Surface flooding is expected to reduce over the coming days.

Hospitals are reportedly operational using generators, although there are concerns that contaminated flood water may spread disease. No schools have reported any damage as of 13 February. Damage has been reported to root crops and fruit trees. Both telecommunication providers were still operating in all of Tongatapu, Ha’apai and ‘Eua, albeit with intermittent coverage.

Fiji: TC Gita passed into Fiji waters on Tuesday, 13 February and was expected to affect some 5,000 people in the southern Lau group of islands and some 10,000 people in the Kadavu and the Lomaiviti groups as a Category 4 cyclone. It is expected to continue moving west over waters south of the main island, Viti Levu, during the next 24 hours. The highest point of some of these islands is just ten metres above sea level, with storm surges reportedly already recorded at five metres.

A hurricane warning was in force for Ono-i-Lau and Vatoa, whilst a storm warning remains in force for the rest of southern Lau group. The rest of Fiji is covered by either a gale warning or a strong wind warning. Heavy rain, strong winds and heavy swells are expected to particularly affect the southernmost islands of Fiji.

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Tonga: On Monday night, 12 February (local time), the eye of Gita passed just south of the low-lying Tongatapu islands group in southern Tonga where the country's most populous island, Tongatapu Island, and the capital city Nukuʻalofa are located.

This is the strongest recorded storm to have struck the island nation in its history. There are reports of one fatality with some people reportedly sustaining injuries. Emergency authorities estimate approximately 70 per cent of the population has been impacted.

The National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) is coordinating the response and initial damage assessments are ongoing. 41 evacuation centres were established with 3,035 evacuees. Electricity is reportedly down leaving people without power. Surface flooding is expected to reduce over the coming days.

Hospitals are reportedly operational using generators, although there are concerns that contaminated flood water may spread disease. No schools have reported any damage as of 13 February. Damage has been reported to root crops and fruit trees. Both telecommunication providers were still operating in all of Tongatapu, Ha’apai and ‘Eua, albeit with intermittent coverage.

Fiji: TC Gita passed into Fiji waters on Tuesday, 13 February and was expected to affect some 5,000 people in the southern Lau group of islands and some 10,000 people in the Kadavu and the Lomaiviti groups as a Category 4 cyclone. It is expected to continue moving west over waters south of the main island, Viti Levu, during the next 24 hours. The highest point of some of these islands is just ten metres above sea level, with storm surges reportedly already recorded at five metres.

A hurricane warning was in force for Ono-i-Lau and Vatoa, whilst a storm warning remains in force for the rest of southern Lau group. The rest of Fiji is covered by either a gale warning or a strong wind warning. Heavy rain, strong winds and heavy swells are expected to particularly affect the southernmost islands of Fiji.